Breech-loading firearm



(No Model.) 2 Sheet-Sheet 2.

J. W. LUNDGRENK: M. Z. VIAU. BRBBGH LOADING FIREARM.

Nap-5 18375. Patented Oct. 15, 1895..

NKTED STATES Aren't FFTQE@ JOHN W. LUNDGREN AND MOSES Z. VIAU, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

BREECH-LOADING FIREARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,075, dated October 15, 1895.

Application filed June 21,1895. Serial No. 553,597- (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN V. LUNDGREN and MOSES Z. VIAU, citizens of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Firearms; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in breech-loading firearms, and has particular relation to shell-ejecting and cocking mechanism.

The invention consists of the combination of a breech-block containing a hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a breech movably connected to said breech-block, a spirally-grooved projection on said breech, a longitudinally-movable pin connected to the hammer, a projection of said pin engaging the spiral groove of the projection on the breech, whereby said vpin is actuated upon the movement of the breech and a suitable barrel and stock.

It also consists of the combination of a breech-block containing a suitable hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a roary breech connected to said breech-block, a cartridge-ejector pivoted in the breech, a spring engaging said ejector and adapted to throw it open or closed, a projection on the breech-block adapted to strike a portion of the ejector and start its movement, a gun barrel and stock.

The invention also consists of certain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, all of which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l represents a detail perspective view of the breech of a gun embodying our invention. Fig. 2 represents a detail perspective view of the breech-block of said gun. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of said breech. Fig. 4 represents a detail side elevation of the gunbarrel. Fig. 5 represents a central vertical longitudinal section through a gun embodying our invention, the stock and the barrel being broken away. Fig. 6 representsafront elevation partly in section of the gun embodying our invention. Fig. 7 represents a detail central vertical section similar to Fig. 5, but with the hammer in the cooked position, and Fig. 8 represents a detail top plan view showing the locking-pin and its restraining spring.

A in the drawings represents the breech-.

block; B, the breech; G, the gun-stock, and D the barrel. The breech-block, as shown in the drawings, is hollow andis provided with the usual rearwardly-extending tangs a a for attaching it to the stock of the gun. It is also provided with a trigger-guard 6L2 and a trigger-aperture a The trigger is pivoted in the aperture by a pin a and is provided at its upper end with two curved arms a and of. The hammer E is pivotally mounted on a pin e, which has its ends mounted, one in the solid wall of said breech block and the other in the opposite removable wall 0L of said breech-block. The object of this latter wall being removable is to permit ready access to the interior of the breech-block. The hammer is either provided with a roughened thumb-piece e, as shown in the drawings, or said thumb-piece may be omitted and the top segmental surface of the hammer roughened to form a thumb-hold. The right side of the hammer is provided with a curved spring-engaging arm e against which the free end of a hammer-springe bears. This springhasapproximately the shape of a cyma and has its rear end thickened and confined against vertical movement by the overhanging lip of a lug 00*, formed on the tang a. The lower periphery of the hammer is notched at e and a and said notches are engaged by the end of the arm a of the trigger, one when the hammer is in its lower position and the other when it is cocked. Said hammer is provided upon its left side with a stud e and an aperture 6'. A pawlf has its stud f loosely mounted in said aperture c and bears with its opposite end against the arm a and also against the top of a longitudinally-movable rod g, which will be hereinafter described.

A spiral spring h loosely surrounds the pin e, and has one end rigidly fixed to the stud e and the other engaging the top of the pawl f.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the pawlfnormally presses downward upon the arm a of the trigger, with the result that the arm a is elevated, so as to engage the notches in the hammer. The top of the breech-block is.provided with the usual spriug'pressed firing-pin g, adapted to be struck by the hammer to force it forward.

The breech is pivotally connected to the breech block by the rod H, which passes loosely through the lower portion of the breech and enters a recess in the breech-block, where it is rigidly secured by a screw 71. This rod II is grooved longitudinally to receive the pin g. This pin is provided at its rear end with an enlargement, having a notch g formed therein, whereby said pawl f is engaged by said pin on the forward movement of the same, thus cocking thehammer. This longitudinal movement of the said pin takes place, upon the return of the breech-block, in the following manner.

The forward part of the breech is provided with a hollow stud I), through which the rod H passes, the head 72 of the rod resting against a heavy close spiral spring 72 which surrounds the outer end of the rod and rests in turn against the outer end of the stud. The spring 71 is spiral when in its normal condition, but when compressed, as shown in the drawings, it forms a spring-ring. The stud is provided with a spiral slot 713, in which a projection 72 of the pin g works. It will thus be seen that as the breech is opened or closed and revolves on the rigid rod II the projection 77, will travel in the slot 77, and thus push the pin g in and out, the spiral spring h holding the breech firmly against the breech-block.

Overhanging segmental pendent flanges 7c are provided at the top and bottom of the breech-block and are adapted to take into grooves 7c of similar shape, formed on the upper and lower sides of the breech, when the gun isin its closed position, and thus the block and the breech proper are held firmly together. The breech-block is also provided with a screw whose head projects beyond the edge of the breech-block and thus prevents any movement of the breech to the left.

To hold the breech in either an open or closed position we provide it with a suitable spring-actuated friction-pin k whose end projects beyond the inner face of said breech and is adapted to engage recesses land Z, respectively, formed in the breech-block.

As an additional and positive means of holding the breech and breech-block in the closed position, we provide the locking'pin m. This pin is mounted in a recess in the breechblock with a friction-spring m bearing upon its side, and is operated by a thumb-piece m*, with which it communicates through a slot m in the breech-block. The pin is adapted, when the breech is in a closed position, to be thrust forward and engage a recess m formed in the said breech, and thus effectually lock the same against any lateral displacement,

The barrel D is secured in the upper part of thebreech by a pin 01, which passes through a groove in the former. The barrel is cut away at its inner end, as at d, to accommodate the operative end 0 of the cartridge-ejector O. This ejector is pivoted in a. slot 0 in the breech and has its lower end provided with an oblique heel 0 and a sharp bevelsided toe 0 A U-shaped spring P is set in a recess 0 in the breech and bears with its free end against a pivoted bar 0 which bar bears at its full beveled end against the oblique heel 0 when the ejector is set. The recess 0 is covered by a suitable cover or plate 0 secured in position by screws. When the ejector is set the toe 0.. projects beyond the rear face of the breech and moves in a seg mental groove '1", formedvin the breech-block. A spring-actuated pawl S is pivoted in the breech-block so that it projects into said segmental groove and is provided upon its under side with an obliquely-arranged flange 3.

When the breech-block is broken after firing and the breech is rotated to the left the toe o strikes the flange s, which pushes it inward, thus throwing the beveled heel 0d the beveled end of the bar 0 and causing the upper end of the ejector to spring outward and eject the empty cartridge. A fresh cartridge is then inserted and the breech-block closed, the act of closing said breech-block cooking the hammer, as before. described, and returning the ejector to its first position by the upper end of said ejector striking against a beveled portion 25 of the breech-block, and being thus pushed inward and set. The hammer can also be cooked by hand if so desired.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a self cocking fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a

breech movably connected to said breech block, a spirally grooved projection on said breech, a longitudinally movable pin connected to the hammer, a projection of said pin engaging the spiral groove of the projection on the breech whereby said pin is actuated upon the movement of the breech and a suitable barrel and stock, substantially as de scribed.

2. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech 3 block containing a suitable hammer and op .erating mechanism and a trigger, a rotary breech connected to said breech block, a car-- tridge ejector pivoted in the breech, a spring engaging said ejector and adapted to throw it open or closed, a projection on the breech block adapted to strike a portion of the ejector and start its movement, a gun barrel and stock, substantially as described.

3. In a fire arm, the combination of abreeeh block containingasuitable hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a projecting rod provided. with a longitudinal groove and having one of its ends secured in said breech block, a rotary breech mounted on said rod bid lltbilltittl with a htiitw spirally grooved projection through which said rod passes, a longitudinally sliding pin mounted in a groove in said rod and connected to the hammer and the spiral groove of the projection on the breech, whereby the hammer is cooked upon the closing of the breech, a barrel and a stock, substantially as described.

4. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a suitable hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rod having one end rigidly secured in said breech block, a rotary breech mounted on said rod, a cartridge ejector operated by the rotation of said breech and comprising a pivoted ejector proper, a spring engaging said ejector and adapted to throw it open or closed, and a projection on the breech block adapted to start the movement of said ejector when the breech is rotated, a hammer cocking mechanism also operated by the movement of said block, a barrel and a stock, substantially as described.

5. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a suitable hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rod having one end secured to said breech block, a rotary breech mounted on said rod, a spirally grooved projection on said breech, a longitudinally movable pin mounted in a groove in said rod and having a projection engaging the spiral groove of the projection on the breech, whereby it is moved longitudinally upon the movement of the breech, a spring pressed pawl pivoted to the hammer and engaging both the trigger and said longitudinally movable pin whereby the hammer is cooked upon the longitudinal movement of said pin, a barrel and a stock, substantially as described.

6. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containingasuitable hammer and operating mechanism and having segmental overl hanging iianges, a trigger, a rod having one end secured to said breech block, a rotary breech mounted on said rod and having se mental grooves corresponding and inter1ocking with the said segmental flanges, a barrel and a stock, substantially as described.

7. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rod connected at one end to said breech block, a breech mounted on said rod, a spirally grooved projection on said breech, a longitudinally movable pin. mounted in a groove in said rod and connected to the hammer, a projection on said pin engaging the spiral groove of the projection on the breech whereby said pin is actuated upon the movement of the breech, a pivoted cartridge ejector, a spring engaging the lower end of the same, a spring pressed pawl on the breech block adapted to engage the said ejector when the breech is operated and start its action, the spring continuing the same, a barrel and a stock, substantially as described.

8. In a fire arm, the combination of a breech block containing a suitable hammer and operating mechanism and a trigger, a rod having one end secured to said breech block, and the opposite end provided with an enlarged head, a rotary breech on said rod and a spring between the head of said rod and the breech to force the latter firmly against the breech block, a barrel and a stock, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aifix our signaturesin presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. LUN D GREN. MOSES Z. VIAU. Witnesses:

JAMES T. WATsoN, E. W. BARKER. 

